How to be a great AirBnb Host (from a serial AirBnb guest's perspective)

If you have reached this post without knowing our blog, you can read about our individual AirBnb stays from the previous posts.

Considering my wife and I have been using AirBnb monthly for the past 15 or so months - I believe we have earned the status of experienced guests.  We have stayed in an array of places from tiny a NYC apartment to multi-room beach houses.  Our only real limits during our searches are price and the pet policy (our dog is also along for the journey).

I don't think we would call ourselves picky, but we have definitely learned what makes life a little easier while on the road for so long.  The list isn't extensive. I'll break everything into three categories. The first of course are the "Must-haves".

This category is simple, if they don't exist it makes life potentially miserable either upon arrival or at some point during the stay.  Remember we are roadies, we don't have a home base so some of these may not matter as much to a short term-er.

• Toilet Paper - have some on the roll and some close by for backup. Sometimes we have some left over from the previous stay and pack it with us, but not always. When you come off a long haul road trip it's nice to know I don't have to completely unpack to use the restroom.
• One medium sized non-stick frying pan- There were a few places where we didn't even attempt to turn on the oven, but usually scrabbled eggs are a morning ritual and if you don't provide at least one good pan, it really puts a damper home cooking. (we actually purchased our own and pack it to every new location)
• Ok we need more than just a frying pan - provide enough kitchen stuff to let us cook most basic meals. We don't need a gourmet supply of pots, pans and utensils, but try to cook a decent breakfast and dinner in your provided kitchen before you rent it out as a test.  
• Coffee Pot - enough said. (I assume I don't have to list microwave.)
• Towels - not just one in the bathroom or hidden away in a closet, have a few and put some in the kitchen too.
• Pest control - no one wants to see bugs of any kind. We were pretty lucky to avoid any major issues thank God! (Bonnie hates to kill spiders for me)
• Wifi - I don't care if you have cable, we cut the cord long ago. I do need to work and occasionally watch Netflix or Hulu so please have at least a 3mb connection with a single throughout the house.

The next category I would call "Over the top". These are the things a host can do that are really above and beyond and sometimes - if you have been in the car for 10 hours with a dog that has occasional panic attacks can really make our day.

• A welcome package - This has been provided on many occasions, it's amazing how much it makes the guest feel comfortable in the rental.  If you want to go way over the top provide some treats or booze, enjoying some wine while I unpack the car is always a pleasure. If you aren't weird, greet the guests. We have only met a couple of hosts, but they were great experiences.
• Coded door locks - keeping track of keys is a nightmare! It is so much easier to remember a code and know you will always be able to get back in without the need to contact someone if you don't have the keys. I know it's not always possible because of property rules, but it's an awesome feature.
• An iron and board - We have a tiny travel iron which is a pain, whenever a house had these items it was a wonderful surprise. Remember on the road, everything gets wrinkled.
• Washer and dryer - when these are in the rental, it really saves the day. Everyone probably understands how fast laundry builds up, and without knowing an area it can be difficult to locate a worthy laundromat. We already have to yelp dry cleaners every month for dress clothes.
• Stuff to do - you know, tell us where the best restaurants are located, what are the must dos only the locals know about, give us some history on the property, whatever, make it an experience.

Luckily we haven't had poor hosts, it's what makes AirBnb so cool, but if there were anything we wouldn't want to happen, they would fall into this final category - "Avoid these".

• Require us to do something for you - We are nice, we will comply. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but do your best to not give us chores (see 'over the top' for ways to keep us happy if you do ask)
• Miss anything on the"Must have" list - Duh.
• Angry neighbors - Are you renting your place on AirBnb and your neighbors hate the idea? Resolve it! 
• Illegally renting your place - Are you breaking building rules, HOA rules, or local laws? Guess what, your guests don't want to be caught in the middle of some battle. Do it right or don't do it at all.

So there you have it. See we aren't high maintenance, but we do know what we like.  Feel free to ask us questions. AirBnb has been great to us and I would suggest you give it a try over a hotel next time you travel. 

Remember the Alamo

One can not visit San Antonio and not visit the iconic Alamo, it is like a contract one must make with the travel Gods, it is an absolute must. I mean who would come all the way to San Antonio and not see this part of Texas history? I don't even want to mention how hard it was for me to refrain from buying a coon skin cap and not going full Texas patriot, it took all my strength to not purchase one. What? I just wanted to channel my inner Davey Crockett!

The Alamo itself is treated as hallowed ground, to honor those that lost their lives fighting for independence from Mexico, so sacred that photos aren't even allowed inside the Alamo itself. And although the Alamo holds a special place in history, it was my least favorite of the missions; I don't know if it was due to the massive amounts of people, or the fact that a lot of the remnants, outside walls and the active church don't exist on this historic site, part of the charm that I found so appealing about the four other San Antonio missions. Regardless of my views on it, it was amazing to see, to tour and to witness what this part of Texas/American history was all about and most important, to pay tribute to those that lost their lives defending freedom.

 

Just down from the Alamo, is the River Walk, another must see in San Antonio. Restaurants, bars and hotels line the river as water taxis zip up and down the river, delivering people to their destination. No trip could possibly be complete without a walk here along the cobblestone paths, taking in the smells of all the fabulous outdoor cafes that line the river. The River Walk makes for a great escape from the city, even though you're right in the heart of it, it almost feels like you've escaped right into a Disney movie, especially if you are lucky enough to catch one of the horse drawn carriages pass by on one of the bridges above.

And last but not least on the list of must do tourist stops in San Antonio;  The Tower of Americas, the only remnant left of the 1968 Worlds Fair. We had the opportunity to have dinner here at The Chart House with Tom's coworkers, and it was delicious, the view of the entire San Antonio area was just amazing, and when I say entire San Antonio area, I mean it, the restaurant actually rotates while you're eating so you can take in a complete 360 degree view. Visiting this place was a two for one, I finally got to put the names to the faces of those that Tom works with, and take in this part of the Hemisfair history.

 

So there you have it, the  tourist side of San Antonio! I figured we had better share that aspect before our departure tomorrow, yes we are done with this leg of our journey and head to New Orleans tomorrow for the month of February, so be prepared for the Mardi Gras fun that is about to come your way; parades commence on the 15th! 

Other updates in the Compagno world; the house is under contract again and this time we were a little smarter about it all and even have a back up offer waiting in the wings, which makes for a nice safety net. We are scheduled to close the beginning of March and I still have a house full of furniture from the fail of the last sell, so I might be calling in favors for those of you willing to let people in to our home once we get everything listed on KSL; so thank you dear friends that volunteered to help us out. Also, we might be in need of a space to store some furniture if it doesn't sell, so if anyone has space they aren't using over the next year or so, a basement or garage or something, we would love it if you would let us take up a bit of it for a short time, I promise to hunt down movers so you don't even have to do manual labor.

For those of you that don't know me well, this relying on other people to take care of all this for me is about enough to drive me crazy. I am a do it yourselfer and a bit of a control freak, so not being there to handle it all myself has me all up in knots, but knowing how blessed we are and that we have some of the most kick ass family and friends around does tend to lighten the load. So thank you to everyone, I don't know what we would do without you! I promise rewards for your service!!! 

Next stop NOLA!!! And this, just for you because I just couldn't resist!

And We're Off!

Holy shit, we are crammed in this gorgeous beast, and let me tell you, it was like playing real life Tetris getting it all in there. Needless to say it was a very strategic process but we managed to get almost everything that needed to go with us in the car and only had to leave behind the non-essentials! Woo hoo!!! And damn, doesn't the Flex look sexy with that Thule on top!

We officially took to the road on Monday afternoon and headed directly to Kanab for a quit pit stop to catch up with an old friend before heading off to Phoenix. And catch up we did, I saw 2am in the morning, I can't remember the last time I was up that late! So thanks Ladd for the laughs and fun; it was a perfect start to our epic adventure!

Road Warrior

You're looking at our new home! We picked this beast up last weekend and have really been enjoying breaking her in.  This baby is far cry from a Mini Cooper and our X3 and I am still getting used to the size of her. In fact, I've already managed to scratch one of the rims on a curb, yes a non moving curb; mock me if you must.  

This bad girl is really comfortable and offers pretty much any amenity you could think of and then some. We ran a test pack yesterday and it looks like she is going to provide us with plenty of space for everything that we are taking with us, except for the golf clubs, we may need a roof rack just for them..

On another note, the POD is ordered and "Operation Pack Up the House" is in full force, so if you stop by for a visit, you'll have to navigate through the trail of boxes. Also, we will be taking off a little quicker than we had originally planned and with a minor detour due to the house selling faster than we had anticipated. Official launch date is looking like December 13th with a quick stop to Mexico for some R&R and then off for a Phoenix Christmas, let the countdown begin!

Just Listed

This happened today! We are officially one giant step closer to becoming homeless; unsure if I should be excited about this epic step or if I should cry. This has been our home for 14 1/2 years and deciding to let go of it has definitely had its emotional moments; we have some amazing memories here and letting go of the house that built them is tough!

I think about all the Halloween, Birthday and Christmas Eve parties that have happened under this roof; there has got to be close to a hundred people that have felt at home here enough to literally pass out in our spare bedrooms, on the couches or anywhere the floor looked most comfortable at 2am.

The additions and the improvements that we've added to make our home unique and ours; the basement, the giant deck and the crooked doggie door that Tom installed (btw, this makes me smile every time I look at it); all the little things that make it special because of the love that was put into them, they will all be missed.

Then there are those moments of panic, the what-the-hell are we thinking flashes that pop into my brain on a regular basis; all the "what if's" that could go wrong. Ugh! We truck on though, we work through the doubts, knowing that we can always come back and that home is wherever we are as a family; that the memories reside in us and not in physical things, remembering that change is good and that we have one hell of an amazing journey ahead of us!

So send good karma that the "Compagno Hotel" sells quick and to somebody that will cherish and love it as much as we have. 

Test Drive

Is it possible to hot rod in a mini-van? We took to the challenge yesterday when we went hunting for our new travel vehicle; that's right mini-vans, you read correctly!

We scoped out the Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town & Country, Toyota Sienna and the Ford Flex (not a mini-van, but way cool). The goal, to weigh the pros and cons of each of these lovely vehicles over the next few weeks and decide which is going to work best for our needs.

We need a vehicle to provide as a home base, a place to put everything we will be taking on this journey across North America over the next two years, and comfort is key for those long drives! Cargo capacity is a huge element, hence the mini van route; I know, we are still coming to grips with the idea of driving, let alone, owning a mini van!

So if anyone has personal experience with any of these gems and wants to chime in on the good, the bad and the ugly of each; we would greatly appreciate the feedback.

On another note the house goes up for sale on the 16th of October and pretty much all furniture will be up for sale, so if anyone wants dibs, speak now or forever hold your peace.

Slowing Becoming Reality

Shit is becoming real; San Antonio in January and New Orleans in February, booked and paid for. Still coming to grips with becoming nomads and having no permanent residence and all the planning that is going into this epic two year journey across the United States and Canada!

Currently compiling a list of everything that we need to accomplish over the next few months is a little overwhelming and daunting; its the details that we want to make sure we have completely figured out. Where to send mail, getting the house listed, purchasing our new travel wheels (one that will accommodate all of Bonnie's shoes), insurance and what State do we pay taxes to? These are just a few of the things we are currently trying to sort through and solve before heading out and leaving Utah.

We love to travel, but this is so out of character for both of us; the not having that home base to land. Instead we will have a car, what we can load in it and the road as our home and maybe that is what makes this such an exciting and terrifying act all at once!

So please bare with us and send us your feedback and advice over the next few months while we prepare not only for the logistics, but mentally for the great road that lies ahead of us.